To reiterate from last week, Arrow Video is a U.K. (Region B) based distributor (although they’ve recently come to the States as well). In order to watch their releases, you’ll need a native or Region Free BD player, or a Region Free mod for your existing BD player, all of which are readily available online. Also keep in mind that any standard definition content among the extras on these discs might require the ability to play and display PAL format video, so do check first to make sure that your player and TV/projector is PAL compatible.

I’ll be back next week with more titles, but until then, that’s all from me for now.

- Tim Salmons

]]>timsalmons@thedigitalbits.com (Tim Salmons)DailiesTue, 05 May 2015 13:17:02 -0700Pick-Ups for the week of April 27, 2015http://www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/dailies/pick-ups-for-april-26-2015
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/dailies/pick-ups-for-april-26-2015

Welcome to our new Dailies sub-column, Pick-Ups! It’s designed to feature older Blu-ray releases that we haven’t gotten around to reviewing until now (sorry about that!), as well as select international releases and other unique titles on disc. We’ll be doing this column on a weekly basis, so be sure to check back regularly for new titles that are worthy of your attention. [Read on here...]

This week, I’m going to highlight three new reviews of Arrow Video titles. For those that might not know, Arrow has long been a U.K. (Region B) based distributor, though they’ve recently come to the States as well. They’re an excellent company that produces high quality releases, many of which are not available here (yet) and feature supplemental materials that quite often surpass their counterparts in other territories. If you find the titles interesting, it’s definitely worth picking up a Region Free BD player (or a Region Free mod for your existing BD player – they’re readily available online as a quick Google search will reveal) to check them out. Keep in mind that any standard definition content among the extras on these discs might require the ability to play and display PAL format video, so do check first to make sure that your player and TV/projector is PAL compatible.

In release news today, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has set Justified: The Complete Final Season on Blu-ray and DVD release on 6/2, and they’ve finally revealed final cover artwork (see below). The show is really finishing off strong this season. Like HBO’s Deadwood before it (also starring Timothy Olyphant) I’m going to miss this series when it’s done.

Speaking of HBO, the network is releasing The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst on Blu-ray on 7/7.

HBO and Cinemax Studios are releasing Strike Back: Season Three on Blu-ray and DVD on 6/30.

IFC Independent Films is releasing Lovers and The Pact II on Blu-ray on 7/7.

Scream Factory has set Ghost Town for Blu-ray release on 7/28, and it’s now available for pre-order on Amazon. So too are Cellar Dweller/Catacombs, The Outing/The Godsend, and Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf, due on 7/14.

Paramount and Comedy Central are releasing Workaholics: Season Five on Blu-ray and DVD on 6/23.

Paramount has also set Hot Tub Time Machine 2 for Blu-ray and DVD release on 5/19.

We’ve got a quick follow-up for you on the U.S. street date for Arrow’s Blood and Black Lace Blu-ray, which has been set at 12/31. This might be due to a rights conflict with Kino Lorber, which has been releasing a large number of Mario Bava titles here in the States on Blu-ray. In any case, Arrow’s U.K. Blu-ray release of the title streets today.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the passing (late last week) of humorist Stan Freberg who, among his many other accomplishments, will always be remembered for his voice work on classic Disney and Warner Bros/Looney Tunes animated titles. You can read more here at The New York Times.

We’ll leave you today with a look at some more new and recent Blu-ray cover artwork, including a few of the titles we’ve mentioned above. Click on the covers to pre-order them on Amazon.com if available...

First up, Disney, Fox and Lucasfilm have announced that Star Wars: The Digital Movie Collection will be available for download on Amazon, iTunes and elsewhere starting this Friday, 4/10 (SRP $89.99). For that price, you’ll get all six Star Wars films (the Original Trilogy is confirmed to be the same versions as were on the Blu-ray release) along with both new and legacy bonus material that varies by retailer. The legacy content is taken from the most recent BD releases. However, the new content includes 6 Conversations featurettes (Doug Chiang Looks Back, Sounds in Space, The Star Wars That Almost Was, Creating a Universe, The Lost Interviews, and The Effects) and 6 Discoveries from Inside featurettes (Models & Miniatures, Costumes Revealed, Hologram & Bloopers, Weapons & The First Lightsaber, Matte Paintings Unveiled, and The Sounds of Ben Burtt). [Read on here…]

Also today, Fox has revealed the extras you’ll find on Lost in Space: The Complete Series when it arrives in stores on Blu-ray on 9/15 (SRP $199.99). They begin with all new material produced by Bill Mumy, including new On-Camera Original Cast Interviews (with Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Guy Williams Jr., and Toni Williams); 8 new audio commentary tracks (with Mumy, Goddard, Cartwright, Kristen, and Mike Clark) on the episodes No Place to Hide, My Friend, Mr. Nobody, Attack of the Monster Plants, Return from Outer Space, The Phantom Family, The Anti-Matter Man, The Promised Planet, and The Great Vegetable Rebellion; and the Lost in Space: The Epilogue cast reunion table read of Bill Mumy’s 1980 un-produced script. Legacy material include the long and short versions of the No Place to Hide original un-aired pilot episode; Guy Williams’ screen test; Bob May’s Home Movies; the 1965 CBS Advertisers and Affiliates Presentation; the 1965/66 Seven Wonderful Nights CBS Promo excerpt; CBS Network TV spots for Seasons One and Two; Season Two preemption bumpers with Jonathan Harris and the Robot; the Season Two main title with alternate music by Warren Barker; Special FX Outtakes (with rare music outtakes); original Dick Strout Fox promo interviews with June Lockhart, Guy Williams, and Jonathan Harris; the 1973 Lost in Space Animated Special; syndication TV spots from the 70s and 80s; 1992 Studs in Space radio promos; a previously unreleased 1985 20th anniversary interview with Irvin Allen; The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen (1996); Lost in Space Memories (1996); Lost in Space Forever (segment with Dr. Smith, Robot and Will Robinson Only – 1998); A&E Biography’s Never Fear, Smith is Here (2002); the 2005 Lost in Space Animated Series pitch; Billy Mumy’s The Ballad of William Robinson music video; Jonathan Harris and Al Lewis on MANCOW; original CBS Network versions (with original commercials) of the episodes The Reluctant Stowaway, The Derelict, The Magic Mirror, Follow the Leader, Blast off into Space, and Target Earth; and Photo Galleries (including Publicity Stills, Episode Stills, Behind-the-Scenes Stills, Vintage Merchandise, Props, and Artwork).

Meanwhile, Paramount and Nickelodeon Movies will release The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD on 6/2. Extras on the Blu-ray will include the 6-part On the Surface documentary (SpongeBob SquarePants: Out of His World, When I Grow Up, I Want to Make Funny Sounds, Becoming Burger Beard, Making the Burger Mobile Chase Sequence, It’s Hip to Be SquarePants, and A Day in the Life of a Sponge), the 4-part Underwater Awesomeness (Plankton Rules the World!, Bikini Bottom Confidential: Rock Stars of the Sea, International Sponge of Mystery: Meet Bubbles, and International Sponge of Mystery: The Speech), Bikini Bottom Boogie (includes Thank Gosh It’s Monday and 3 SpongeBob Sing-Alongs – Thank Gosh It’s Monday, Teamwork, and Theme Song/Rap Battle), N.E.R.D.’s Squeeze Me music video, deleted and extended scenes, alternate takes and test footage.

Also, Sony Pictures Classics has set Leviathan for Blu-ray and DVD release on 5/19. The film was the Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign Language Film and was an Academy Award nominee this year as well.

And Arrow Video has set Nico Mastorakis’ Island of Death (1976) for Blu-ray release on 5/26, with Brian Yuzna’s Society (1989) set to follow on 6/9, and Luigi Cozzi’s Contamination (1980) expected on 6/23.

Here’s a look at a some new Blu-ray cover artwork (click on the covers to pre-order the titles on Amazon if available)...

In announcement news today, the big news is that Universal has officially set Fast & Furious 6 for Blu-ray and DVD release on 12/10. The Blu-ray will exclusively include an extended version of the film, the Take Control viewing mode featuring the director and cast, the 4-part Planes, Tanks and Automobiles documentary (includes The London Chase, Highway Heist: The Convoy Attack, The Antonov Takedown and Dom and Letty Race Again) and 3 additional featurettes (Gearhead’s Delight, The FLIP Car and Hand-to-Hand Fury). In addition to this, both the Blu-ray and DVD will include deleted scenes, feature commentary with director Justin Lin, the On the Set with Vin featurette and the 4-part The Making of Fast & Furious 6 documentary (including The Fastest of Them All, Reuniting the Team, Letty’s Return and The Mastermind and The Mole). [Read on here...]

Warner Home Video has officially set The Following: The Complete First Season for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/7/2014 (SRP $49.99 and $39.98). Extras on the Blu-ray will include the From a Dark Place: Maximum Episode Mode of Extended Pilot, deleted scenes, 4 featurettes (The Thrill of Horror: The Creator Behind The Following, The Followers’ Den, The Cult of Joe Carroll: Inside the Followers and The Following Production Chronicles), a pair of 2 additional mini featurettes and audio commentary on the final episode.

Here’s something cool: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has set the “Voice Your Choice” classic title contest winners for Blu-ray release on 12/3, including Jesse James (1939), Call of the Wild (1935), Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), Black Swan (1942), Carmen Jones (1954), Desk Set (1957), North to Alaska (1960) and Undefeated (1969).

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has set Showtime’s Weeds: The Complete Collection for Blu-ray release on 11/5 (SRP $119.97). According to the studio’s press release, the set will include “16 discs and is loaded with all-new special features including a discussion with the cast as well as a look at what makes Nancy so desirable and why many of her lovers met an early demise.” So there you go.

Magnolia Home Entertainment has set Syrup for Blu-ray and DVD release on 11/5.

Arc Entertainment has announced Storm Rider for DVD and VOD release on 10/22, starring Kevin Sorbo.

For you music fans, Eagle Rock Entertainment has set The Doors: R-Evolution for Blu-ray and DVD release on 12/3 (SRP $19.98 and $14.98). There’s also a Deluxe Edition of the title on each format (SRP $49.98 and $39.98). The Deluxe Editions are “packaged in a 40-page DVD sized hardback book with a “scrapbook” style presentation on each track including lyrics, background info, trivia and photos.”

Meanwhile, Arrow Video in the U.K. has announced the U.K. Blu-ray release of Brian De Palma’s The Fury on 10/28. “Arrow’s deluxe edition of THE FURY will come loaded with a never-before-seen selection of special features, bonus material and an in-depth collector’s booklet, many of which have been independently sourced and appear here for the very first time. Sam Irvin, who worked as an intern on THE FURY and is now an acclaimed film-maker in his own right, is currently available for interview to talk about his time on-set and what it was like working with De Palma. Sam’s short-film tribute to De Palma, Double Negative, appears as an exclusive extra.” Sounds pretty great. You may recall that Twilight Time released the title here in the States earlier this year in a “limited edition” of 3000 units which are already sold out. The only extras on that version were an isolated score and the film’s trailer.

Also today, Oscilloscope Laboratories has set Our Day Will Come for VOD only release on 10/22. Discs please – thank you!

Cohen Media Group will release Just Like a Woman on Blu-ray only on 10/22.

And Entertainment One will release Abducted on DVD only on 10/15.

Here’s a look at the Blu-ray Disc cover artwork for Universal’s Fast & Furious 6 (the Steelbook version), Warner’s The Following: The Complete First Season, Lionsgate’s Weed: The Complete Series and Fox’s Carmen Jones, Call of the Wild and Undefeated...